The Ignored Wolf

Break In-2

Louise

Suddenly, my phone starts buzzing on the floor. The screen lights up—it’s Luna Naomi, Charlie’s mom. I have no idea why she’s calling so late. Charlie probably told her some sob story and she’s calling to talk me into forgiving him. Naomi has always been decent to me and wants me as a daughter-in-law. But honestly I don’t know if she really likes me or she just thinks I'm much easier to control than Cassandra.

Regardless, it’s a lifeline. I reach for the phone, but Raji sees it. He kicks it across the room. It hits the wall, the screen shattering into a spiderweb of glass, and goes silent.

Then, he stomps hard on my hand. I let out a broken scream, curling into a ball.

"Scream louder," he grins, putting more weight on his boot. "I like the sound."

The boy is screaming now too. "Let her go! Come at me!"

I can see his lips move. He’s still shouting, but everything is getting blurry. The pain is so sharp my ears are ringing. Raji finally lifts his foot, squats down, and grabs the collar of my robe. "Now," he says with a smirk, "let’s have some fun. Pay attention, kid. Consider this a s*x ed lesson."

He pins me to the bed, trying to force a kiss on me. I lock my jaw, and he wraps his hand around my throat, squeezing until I can't breathe. Just as the air in my lungs runs out, I’m forced to gasp. He leans in, and I sink my teeth into his lip with everything I have. He recoils, slapping me again. "Behave, you f*****g b***h!"

The blow leaves me dazed. I can taste blood but I don’t know whether it is his or mine. He then hikes up my robe, his hand reaching for my panties, and that’s the moment when the door bangs open.

A shadow bursts through the door, moving so fast my eyes can't even track him. One second I’m being crushed and the next, the weight is gone.

Raji doesn’t even have time to let out a sound. He is heaved off me and slammed into the floor like a choked chicken. His back hits the hardwood with a sickening thud, and before he can even blink, a knife is buried deep in his thigh.

Raji screams in horror. I huddle on the bed, my whole body shivering. It takes me several seconds to realize who the shadow is.

Elias.

How? How on earth did he find this place? !

I try to make sense of it, but my brain is stalling out, especially not with the scene playing out in front of me.

Elias has a knee pinned into Raji’s chest, one hand clamped over the his mouth, the other gripping the hilt of the knife still protruding from his leg. His eyes are dark and dangerous. "Don’t scream. The neighbors are sleeping. If you make another sound, the next blade will go in your throat."

Raji’s scream dies instantly, replaced by a terrified, muffled whimpering.

I stare, my mind a complete blank. Then, I hear a rustling sound. I turn my head and see the boy still handcuffed to the desk leg, watching the whole thing with wide eyes. I snap out of it, scrambling off the bed and rushing over to him.

"Don't look," I say, shielding the boy’s eyes with my hand. "Close your eyes, don't look at this."

To my shock, his voice is eerily calm. "It’s okay," he says, his voice muffled against my palm. "I’ve seen worse. I saw a guy’s head get taken clean off once."

What is wrong with this kid? Seriously, what kind of childhood is this? !

"You should probably fix your clothes," he suggests helpfully. "I can see your cleavage."

Elias’s head snaps toward us, a murderous glare directed at the kid. "Eyes shut!" he roars. "That is not for you to see!"

My face redden. I frantically clutch the front of my robe together.

The boy shuts his eyes tight. "You can wear my shirt," he offers.

"I won't fit in your shirt," I mutter.

"Wrap yourself in the duvet, Louise," Elias says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I obey, swaddling myself in the blanket.

Raji stares up at Elias, his eyes a cocktail of terror and fury. "Who the hell are you?" he hisses. "What gang are you with?"

"I don't belong to a gang," Elias sneers. "And what gang are you with, thinking you can touch—" he pauses, and says slowly, "what is mine."

My heart skips a beat.

Mine. He said I was his.

I know it’s probably just Alpha posturing, an instinctual territorial thing, but god... the words make me feel warm from the inside out.

The boy pipes up. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"Uh... no," I say, trying to make sure I don't sound disappointed.

The boy tilts his head, looking thoughtful. "So, are you his mistress?"

My eyes go wide. "What? No!"

"Friends with benefits?" he guesses, his tone as serious as if he's taking a math test. "Ex? A one-night stand? Or—"

"If you make one more sound," Elias says without looking back, "get ready to spend the rest of your life handcuffed to that chair."

The kid shuts up instantly. But two seconds later, he whispers again. "I’m hungry. Can I have some chips first?"

Elias fishes the keys out of Raji’s pocket and tosses them to me. I catch them and fumble with the boy's handcuffs. They snap open with a c***k. The boy rubs his wrists and immediately crawls to the side of the bed, grabbing the bag of chips I left on the nightstand. He starts munching away, his eyes glued to Elias and Raji like he’s watching a movie.

"Why aren't you scared?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"Seen it all before," he says with a shrug. "Besides, Raji's the one who should be shaking. Charlie really showed up to save you."

Elias’s jaw twitches, his expression turning gloomier.

"He’s not Charlie," I whisper to the boy, rubbing my forehead.

"What?" The kid’s eyes go wide.

"Let me go, sir," Raji pleads, his voice cracking. "I didn't know she belonged to you."

"You haven't answered me. Which gang?" Elias asks.

"I’m an errand boy for Rex," Raji stammers. "Rex Cross."

Elias’s expression shifts for a split second. He lets go of Raji’s mouth and stands up. "Rex," he repeats, a smirk playing on his lips. "That bastard is still breathing?"

"You... you know him?" Raji asks in disbelief.

Elias doesn't answer. He turns to me. "Get the bandages. Do you have a first-aid kit?"

I've got a tiny one in the bathroom. I run and grab it, handing it over to Elias. He takes it, then pulls the knife out. Raji screams again, and Elias presses the gauze into the wound with brutal efficiency.

"Rex lived in the bunk next to mine when we were serving," Elias says coolly. "He owes me his life."

Raji’s face goes through a fascinating transformation, from terror to confusion, to realization, and finally to a sort of terrified awe. "So... so you're..."

"Like I said, I don't belong to a gang," Elias repeats. "I just happen to know your boss." He pauses, leaning in close to Raji’s face. "Now, tell me. Why are you picking on a kid?"

Raji swallows hard. "He boosted the stash. Flipped it. Rules say we gotta break his legs..."

"How old is he?"

"What?"

"How old is the boy?"

Raji stays silent.

"Twelve? Thirteen?" Elias continues. "A child steals some product, and you're going to cripple him. Those are Rex’s rules now?"

"It’s to set an example for the other runners," Raji mumbles. "Can't have everyone getting sticky fingers."

Elias chuckles. "An example. Right. Well, let me ask you a question. If Rex can't tolerate a thief, how well does he tolerate his subordinates breaking into private homes to assault women?"

Raji turns white as a sheet. "I... I..." He stammers, unable to form a sentence.

"You pinned her down, tore her clothes, and she screamed loud enough for the whole building to hear. Is that the example you're setting for Rex?" Elias asks.

"I’m sorry. I’m so sorry," Raji gasps.

"Not to me. To her."

Raji turns to me. "I'm sorry, ma'am."

Elias stands up. "Get out," he says. "Go tell Rex that I’ll be having a personal chat with him about tonight. As for you—" he pauses, "—you better pray our paths never cross again."

Raji scrambles to his feet, clutching his bleeding leg, and limps out the door as fast as he can. He doesn't even look back.

The room falls silent, save for the rhythmic crunch of the boy eating chips.

Elias turns to me. There are a few flecks of blood on his shirt, and god, he looks f*****g hot.

"It’s over," he says. "He won't be back."

I nod, unable to find my voice.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

I nod again, then manage to find my voice back, "How did you know I lived here?"